Over the last decade, however, the amount of traffic through many of these expanses has exploded. That has made it difficult for anyone to peacefully explore these protected areas as they were originally meant to be.With crowds, noise, increasing fees, and scheduled visitations, national park camping is quickly becoming a thing of the past. It’s almost impossible these days to find a campground within a park that doesn’t require advanced reservations.
More popular parks like Arches National Park and Zion have begun limiting access to visitors by scheduling entry during their high seasons. Travelers must apply for a “timed-entry ticket” online or by phone before their planned trip to participating parks.
Camp fees and park entry fees have increased exponentially as the number of park visitors increases. It’s the law of supply and demand. More visitors want to come, but the prices have limited some budget-oriented travelers.
Crowds are the big problem with popular national parks like Yellowstone, Glacier, and Yosemite. This not only causes road and trail congestion, but it also takes away many of the reasons visitors enjoy the parks.